The story so far: On October 23, for the second time in five years, Pakistan has proscribed the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), a political party, supported by the Barelvis in the Punjab province.
Who are the TLP?
The TLP is a far-right Islamist party founded in 2017 by Bareli cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi, drawing support from Pakistan’s Sunni Barelvi community. The party started by organising around the conviction of Mumtaz Qadri. Qadri had assassinated Punjab governor Salman Taseer over opposing blasphemy laws. Qadri’s supporters, mostly Barelvis, hailed him as a martyr for defending Islam. The TLP gained prominence demanding his release and leading protests after his execution. The party rose with its hardline defence of blasphemy laws, demand for Sharia-based governance, and opposition to Western influence and minority rights.
In the 2018 elections, the TLP won 2.2 million votes, becoming the fifth-largest party. Later that year, it led nationwide protests against Asia Bibi’s (who was arrested on blasphemy charges) acquittal, challenging the verdict and reinforcing its image as a staunch defender of religious causes. In 2020, the TLP led large-scale protests against France over blasphemous caricatures and secured a government deal to expel the French ambassador and boycott French products.
